When you hear the words “Middle East,” what comes to your mind? For many, a slew of negative associations pop up—wars, sectarian killing, religious tension, suicide bombers, kidnappings, trauma. But we forget that this region is the physical context for much of the Bible. It is the rich backdrop for Scripture’s stories—and God’s promises.

The Bible’s Rich Context

Did you know the Garden of Eden was in today’s Yemen? Or Abraham’s hometown in Ur is a city in Iraq? Joseph was taken as a prisoner to Egypt, where he became the Prime Minister to save his family. The cedars of Lebanon, used in metaphor by the psalmist (Psalm 92:12), can still be seen in that country. Jesus walked on the shores of the Sea of Galilee asking Peter to take care of his sheep. Paul was converted on the road to Damascus. And Jesus’s first followers were named in Antioch, today’s Turkey.

Despite the gloomy portrait that the media has painted, I choose to think of the Middle East as the place where God chose to manifest salvation to all people. I think of it as where the majority of the Bible was written, handed down from generation to generation, and preserved. It is the cradle of Christianity, the geographical location where God’s Son was incarnated and will return again.

Maintaining Hope

Yet much of the world, including the global body of Christ, has lost hope in the Middle East—”A cultural genocide of Christians is erasing the presence of faithful from large swathes of the Middle East, the very heartland of the Church” (John Pontifex, Aid to the Church in Need’s UK Head of Press and Information). The region revolves around a displaced population; wounds run deep and turmoil persists.

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Who am I?

I'm a lover and follower of Jesus Christ and live in northern Arizona with my husband, Rick. I am happy to say that Rick and I are at the bottom corners of a triangle where Jesus sits at the top corner.

Contributing Writer: Patricia Knight

Patricia Knight is the author of REJOICE! and PURE JOY, two books filled with joyful devotionals. She maintains a ministry of handwritten encouraging notes for those who are hurting, and is also an avid gardener.